by Anthology
I hadn’t wanted to make a huge effort, so I’d opted for a pair of mint green skinny jeans, a white and tan striped tank, with a short white blazer over top. By the look on Brad’s face, he approved.
I smiled when I reached him and placed my purse down on the bar in front of me. “Hi, Brad.”
“You look wonderful tonight.” His gaze raked over me.
“Thanks.” I felt a little awkward accepting the compliment from him for some reason. Probably because my subconscious knew I really wanted it to be someone else complimenting me.
“What can I get you to drink?” he asked rather eagerly.
“A wine spritzer would be great. I’m driving.” I crossed my legs and rested my hands on my knee, which was somewhat awkward on a bar stool. It suited since awkward was how I was feeling in his presence.
“Coming right up.” He motioned for the bartender, ordered my drink, and then turned to face me. “Thanks for agreeing to this.” He ran a hand through his blond hair in a nervous gesture, then adjusted his wire-framed glasses.
“You don’t have to thank me, Brad.” I gave him a forced smile.
The bartender returned and placed my spritzer down in front of me. I thanked him and then took a sip. It was a shame I couldn’t drink more. I had a feeling I was going to need it. Nothing about this date felt right—not at all how I felt when I was around Jamie. It was going to be a long night.
An hour later, my eyes were glazing over as Brad continued droning on about interest rates and annuities, none of which I found even remotely interesting. I wasn’t sure whether he was nervous and that’s why he kept going on and on or what. I was pretty sure it was evident that I wasn’t on the edge of my seat.
As Brad started to delve into a story about a woman who’d come into the bank last week looking for a refinance on a house that wasn’t even hers, laughter erupted behind us from some people who sounded like they’d just walked in the door.
There was nothing remarkable about that, but when the laughter stopped and someone in the small group spoke up from behind me, my back went ramrod straight, all my muscles tensing. I knew that voice. Jamie. Was the guy stalking me now?
I refused to turn around and look at him, though I knew I’d be faced with just that scenario soon enough since the only empty chairs were at the other end of the ‘L’ of the bar. I was about to be sitting exactly diagonal from his group.
I tried my best to maintain eye contact with Brad as he continued on with his story, but I swear I felt Jamie’s gaze on me. It was like a living, breathing creature sliding over my skin in a soft caress. I managed to last a couple of minutes before I diverted my eyes, and then only for just a second. It was such a small quantity of time, but it was enough to see that he was looking devastatingly handsome. Of course he was. He was out to torture me.
Jamie was dressed casually in a light blue T-shirt that stretched across his upper body. I had a hard time not visualizing what he looked like out of that shirt, now that I’d seen for myself at the pool party what lay underneath. He looked like he’d recently showered, his hair darker than normal and a little more slicked back, though the long ends still curled up in the most frustrating way. Frustrating only because they begged for a girl to run her fingers through them, and I’d be doing no such thing.
When his gaze met mine, the corner of one of his lips curled up. He raised his beer in a small wave and the other two guys he was with turned to see who he was looking at. I knew Ben fairly well, but I wasn’t sure who the other guy was. Regardless, I waved back at them in what I hoped was a casual way and returned my attention to Brad.
“You know those guys?” he asked, his interest clearly piqued.
“Yeah, through work.” I didn’t elaborate further. What could I say? The one with ‘fuck me’ eyes had actually gotten me off not long ago and I’d been trying unsuccessfully to get him out of my head since? Not likely.
“So what is it exactly that you do at work?” Brad asked.
I delved into describing my job as a nine-one-one operator, doing my best to ignore the fact that I could see Jamie from the corner of my eye. His voice would drift over from time-to-time, making it impossible to pretend he didn’t exist.
“Would you excuse me for a moment?” I said distractedly. “I’m going to visit the restroom.”
“Of course,” Brad said politely.
I smiled at him and reached for my purse. As I made my way to the back of the bar, I walked right past the backs of Jamie, Ben, and the other guy. They all seemed to be engrossed in the game on the TV behind the bar anyway, shouting expletives at someone behind the glass screen.
When I reached the restroom, I set my purse on the counter, leaned on both hands, and stared at myself in the mirror. I didn’t even need to use the facilities—I just needed a break from being under Jamie’s watchful eye. I really needed to get my shit together where he was concerned. I needed to leave behind the memory of what had happened between us before it drove me mad. I’d thought I was making progress, but seeing him made it abundantly clear that was not the case.
He was just a guy, like any other guy, so why did he affect me so much?
Drawing a in deep breath, I closed my eyes. Alright. I was going to go out there and pay him no mind. He didn’t have any control over me. No one did. I prided myself on being my own person and doing what I wanted, when I wanted. Jamie-freaking-McTavish was not going to change that.
Feeling slightly more composed, I fussed with my hair for a second, pulled my purse strap over my one shoulder so it crossed over my chest, then left. I was one step into the hall when someone grabbed my wrist and tugged me toward the back of the building.
“What the hell?” I whipped my head over to see Jamie pulling me toward the back door. When he turned so I was able to see his face, I almost wished he hadn’t. His brows were drawn and his lips were pursed into a thin line. He didn’t look happy.
I glanced down to see that he was wearing a perfectly faded pair of jeans with flip flops. Damn, his butt looked good in those jeans. Ugh! What was I thinking? He was acting like a Neanderthal dragging me out of here.
Pushing open the rear door with one hand, he pulled me out into the warm night air, the metal door making a loud thud behind us. He dropped my hand and spun to face me.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked incredulously, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Me? What’re you doing, Jackie?” Somehow he was able to draw his brows even further over his eyes. It made him look almost scary.
“I was out on a date until you dragged me back here like the caveman that you are!”
His eyes flashed. “Is that guy the reason you won’t go out with me?”
“What?” The quick change in topic left me trying to keep up.
“You heard me.” He took a step closer, and my reaction was somewhat schizophrenic—my body wanted to be closer and, at the same time, my head was screaming at me to back away. I would not cower to him, though, I’d hold my ground.
I stood exactly where I was and brought my hands to my hips. “I won’t go out with you because I don’t want to. I don’t even know you.”
“Are you dating that guy?” he ground out.
“Duh. We’re on a date,” I said with attitude.
The back of his jaw began twitching. Damn it. Why did I feel the need to rile him up?
“Anyone can see you two aren’t right for each other.” He motioned to the building behind us. “There’s zero chemistry.”
I placed my hand at my waist and cocked a hip. Who the hell did he think he was, telling me what was right for me? “For your information, this is our first date. And I’ll be the one to decide whether or not we’re right for each other.”
“Come on, Jackie.” He sighed loudly. “You think that beaker in there can do for you what I can?”
He forced me back into the building behind me, then placed his leg between mine, pushing up so that his hard thigh pressed exactly where I wanted it
to. But I’d never admit that to him. His own arousal was evident against my hip, and I stifled a moan and closed my eyes.
“Would you let him touch you the way you let me in that wine cellar? Does he get you hot and bothered the way I do?” He pushed up with his thigh again. “Does he?”
I opened my eyes, knowing they were pleading with him to just leave me alone. To accept what I was saying and move on. “I need to get back to my date,” I whispered weakly, close to giving up the fight. It was near impossible for me to say no to this man.
He stared at me for a full minute, his gray eyes intense. A car horn honked somewhere far off and the sound of people wandering along the sidewalk filled the silence. “Fine. But you’re not leaving until I give you a reminder of why we’d be so good together.”
Before I could comprehend what he meant by that, he leaned in and fused his lips to mine. As if my hands had a mind of their own, they dove into Jamie’s hair. But my legs were the worst offender. Without thinking, I wrapped them around his waist, and he pressed me against the brick wall with his body, his hands gripping my ass.
Our tongues met with intense fury, only serving to stoke the already raging fire between us. He knew exactly how to drive me wild, give me everything he had, overwhelm me and make me needy, only to pull back enough to leave me desperate for him. I was certain he’d be the same in the bedroom—intense and somehow controlled.
He cranked his hips up into my core, putting pressure on the place I needed it most. I moaned and, with no warning, his hands came around his back and unwrapped my legs from around his waist. I slid to the pavement on shaky legs as Jamie stepped back from me with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“See if pretty boy in there can get that reaction from you.”
My mouth dropped open, gaping while I attempted to get my brain synapses firing again so I could come up with a witty retort. I had nothing.
Jamie stepped to the side and reached for the handle of the back door, swinging it wide open and gesturing for me to go back in. “Ladies first.”
I wanted to stomp my feet like a petulant child at how I’d so easily played into his charms and allowed him to prove his point. Instead, I managed to gather myself enough that I walked by him, chin held high, like I had even a shred of dignity left. I continued down the hall into the main bar area and didn’t turn to see if he’d followed. I didn’t have to. I could feel his eyes raking up and down my body, and I knew he was close behind me.
I gave as natural a smile to Brad as I could give under the circumstances and rejoined him at the bar, setting my purse down.
“I was about to send out a search party,” he laughed.
I forced a small chuckle, although I was completely preoccupied with the man who sat across the bar, the one I knew was watching my every move. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of looking his way. I’d already managed to do enough to feed his ego this evening.
“You look a little flushed. You okay?” Brad asked with evident concern.
“Now that you mention it I’m not feeling that great.” I rubbed my temples to help with my charade. “Mind if we cut the evening short? I think I need to go home and lay down.” With my vibrator, I added only to myself.
“Of course, of course.” Brad pushed his stool out and then came around to pull out my own. It was kind of sweet—I’d never had anyone try to pull out a bar chair for me before.
“I’m really sorry to have to take off like this,” I said, grabbing my purse from the table and getting out of the chair to face him.
“No need to apologize. Maybe we can finish our date another time.” He looked so hopeful I couldn’t help feeling guilty for going out with him in the first place, knowing there was little chance it was going anywhere.
“Yeah, maybe.” I gave him a small smile, then leaned in to give him a friendly hug.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Not necessary, but thank you.” I gave him a warm smile to ward off the guilt.
He shook his head. “I insist.”
Relenting, I nodded and headed out with Brad in tow. I didn’t seem destined to win any argument with the opposite sex tonight. Might as well quit while I was ahead.
Chapter Nine
Jamie
How the hell had I let myself get roped into this?
I adjusted the belt on my uniform and ran a nervous hand through my hair. The hooting and hollering, coupled with interspersed giggles, could be heard from the makeshift backstage they’d erected in the country club’s ballroom.
Three more guys to go, and I was due up for auction. Being that I was fairly new in town, I didn’t think I could decline the invitation to participate in the charity bachelor auction. Don had asked me a couple months back, and I hadn’t thought much of it. Now I wished I had declined.
I had more self-confidence than necessary on any given day, but somehow today I felt like I was being led to slaughter. What if no one bid on me? How fucking embarrassing would that be?
I heard the presenter call out the number ahead of mine, and the women scream in appreciation as the Ranger from Acadia National Park made his way out to the stage.
Get your shit together, man.
I shook my hands out and shifted my weight back and forth. There were more guys hanging around backstage waiting to be called. One had on a doctor’s coat, while another looked like he belonged on a boat so I was guessing he was a fisherman. They milled around making conversation while I stood alone, seeming to be the only nervous one.
The volunteer funneling men onto the stage waved me over and, when they called my number, she practically pushed me out through the curtain. “Good luck,” she called after me.
“Ladies, please welcome the newest member to our police force to the stage…Mr. Jamie McTavish.” The crowd erupted into applause and cat calls as I sauntered over to the MC. Seems I’d been worried for nothing. A guy could get used to this. I smiled and pushed my chest out and my shoulders back. “Jamie enjoys keeping active on his days off, doing just about anything that’ll keep his heart rate up. While his motto is that he’ll try anything once, he draws the line at caviar. Jamie, why don’t you say hi to the ladies.” The aging man moved the mic in front of my face.
“Hey, ladies,” I said in my lowest, sexiest voice.
They cheered again and some whistles could be heard, though I wasn’t sure which direction they came from. I smiled wide again, confidence replacing my earlier nerves.
“Why don’t we start the bidding at one hundred dollars…do I hear one hundred dollars?”
“One hundred dollars,” someone yelled out from the crowd. I turned to my left, but I wasn’t able to see who it was through all the people.
“Two hundred,” a woman on the right side of the stage shouted. If my mother had still been alive, I was sure this woman would have closely resembled her. Her gray hair was short, permed, and she looked up at the stage from underneath a pair of thick glasses. Her pants were too high on her waist, and she was wearing those beige orthotic shoes a lot of the senior citizens seemed to wear.
It wasn’t until I saw her that I’d given any thought as to who I might end up with tonight.
“Three hundred!”
This time when I turned to my other side, I realized the bidder had made her way to the front of the crowd. I smiled warmly at her. If I got stuck with this one, it wouldn’t be half bad. This woman looked to be in her early twenties with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a slender body. However, there had been only one woman on my mind these past few weeks, and unfortunately it wasn’t her.
“Four hundred!” the elderly lady called out. The woman wanted what she wanted, I thought with an inward chuckle.
The blonde’s eyes darted over to her, and she smirked, appearing almost…predatory. “Six hundred,” she said in a strong, confident voice.
Holy shit, someone just bid six hundred bucks on me.
“Wowee, can you believe it everyone? We’re up to six hundred dollars alre
ady. Keep it coming! And don’t forget that it’s all going to a great cause. Who wouldn’t want to spend an evening with all this?” The MC held his hand out and motioned from my head to my feet and back up like I was a prize on The Price Is Right.
All the attention of the crowd turned back to the older lady, who was biting nervously on the end of her finger. Finally, after a moment, she called out, “Seven hundred!”
The blonde rolled her eyes. “Eight hundred.” She crossed her arms over her chest and pinned the elderly lady with a challenging gaze.
A woman standing beside the older lady shoved her with an elbow. The older lady chewed on her lip for a moment, looking unsure. Waving a hand in front of her, she said, “You can have him. I probably wouldn’t know what to do with him anyway.”
The crowd laughed, and the MC brought the mic to his mouth. “Eight hundred dollars going once…going twice…”
I glanced over to the blonde, who had a triumphant look on her face.
“And—”
“One thousand dollars!”
At the new bid, the entire room hushed, and the blonde woman’s eyes bugged out of her head. She turned, searching the low murmuring throng for the person who had outbid her. My heart was fucking pounding in my chest, and I didn’t have to wait to see her walk up through the parted crowd to know who it was—I’d recognize her voice anywhere.
My lips spread into a satisfied smile, and my dick twitched in my pants before I even set eyes on Jackie. Seems she was finally ready to acknowledge what I’d been telling her all along.
Chapter Ten
Jackie
I wasn’t sure what had come over me, but when Chloe had told me that the woman bidding on Jamie was the girl her ex had cheated with, it was fair to say I was equal parts pissed and green with envy, yelling out my bid before I’d had a chance to really consider it.
I’d already been trying hard to control the jealousy surging through my veins at the thought of him going out with another woman. I wasn’t able to control my mind from wondering if he’d do to her the same things he’d done to me. It was like a movie running through my head…a horror film, actually.
